Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)Champ: None1) Saul Alvarez (20-177-192)Last Fight: 7/12/2014- W (SD12) vs. #3 Erislandy Lara (at 155)Next Fight: UnknownCanelo deserves none of the detraction he’s getting for his very legitimate win over Lara. He is getting some buzz as a potential challenger for Cotto’s Middleweight Championship, though he says that fight won’t happen this year.2) Carlos Molina (20-159-174)Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD12) vs. #5 Ishe SmithNext Fight: 10/11/2014- vs. #10 Cornelius BundrageMolina’s fight with Bundrage has been moved back to October 11.3) Erislandy Lara (20-159-181)Last Fight: 7/12/2014- L (SD12) vs. #1 Saul Alvarez (at 155)Next Fight: UnknownLara clearly lost, despite what Malignaggi and company want you to believe. 4) Miguel Cotto (7-216-216)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- RTD10 MW Champ Sergio Martinez (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownCotto is now the Middleweight Champion, so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to fight at 154 at all. He’s reportedly interested in fighting Canelo, in a likely catchweight fight.5) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (7-45-45)Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Next Fight: 9/13/2014- vs. #1 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Floyd recently said he’s rematching Maidana on September 13. I’m glad. Maidana deserves that, at the very least.6) Austin Trout (7-112-181)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. #5 Erislandy LaraNext Fight: 8/22/2014- vs. Daniel Dawson (UNR)Trout will look to get back on track with a fairly easy Friday Night Fights main event against upper mid-level Australian journeyman Daniel Dawson, who was once a fringe contender, but not since 2007.7) Ishe Smith (7-74-74)Last Fight: 5/2/2014- KO2 Ryan Davis (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownI know he was a relatively short-notice replacement, but Ryan Davis was a little too hapless even by that standard.8) Joshua Clottey (7-15-15)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- UD12 #7 Anthony MundineNext Fight: UnknownFor those looking for a good way to revitalize a practically evaporated career, you couldn’t do much better than the example Clottey just provided. He wants to fight Mayweather, but I’d say he’s at least one top 5 win away from having a chance at that.9) Anthony Mundine (15-34-34)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- L (UD12) vs. Joshua Clottey (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownMundine is reportedly in talks to bring the now much larger and also more retired Danny Green into a rematch. He’s also getting an offer from up-and-coming prospect Jeff Horn.10) Cornelius Bundrage (15-207-207)Last Fight: 1/24/2014- UD12 Joey Hernandez (UNR)Next Fight: 10/10/2014- vs. #2 Carlos MolinaSee Molina’s notes, above.11) Demetrius Andrade (6-37)Last Fight: 6/14/2014- TKO7 #20 Brian RoseNext Fight: UnknownAfter manhandling an overrated Brian Rose, Andrade says he’s ready for the big names, and has recently been aggressively pursuing a Canelo shot.12) Alfredo Angulo (6-252)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Saul AlvarezNext Fight: UnknownAngulo could probably use a fight with a gatekeeper or low level fringe contender just to get his career momentum going. He’s drawing interest from Julian Williams.13) Sergey Rabchenko (6-110)Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 Bradley Pryce (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownRabchenko’s fight in Rome was cancelled on 3 days’ notice due to Visa issues, and his would-be opponent, journeyman Emanuele Della Rosa, will be fighting undefeated prospect Isaac Real for what had been Rabchenko’s European title.14) Jermell Charlo (5-59)Last Fight: 5/24/2014- UD12 Charlie Ota (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown15) Vanes Martirosyan (7-164)Last Fight: 3/21/2014- UD10 Mario Lozano (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownVanes was supposed to fight on the Stiverne-Arreola card from what I understood, but that fight quietly disappeared from the schedule at some unknown point in time. He’s been dropped by Top Rank and signed with Dan Goossen, as well.16) Brian Castaño (7-7)Last Fight: 6/6/2014- TKO4 #15 Cesar Sastre SilvaNext Fight: 8/?/2014- vs. Sebastian Lujan (UNR)Castano was tentatively scheduled to fight Sebastian Lujan on July 19, but the fight has been postponed to sometime in August due to a Castano illness.17) Gabriel Rosado (10-26)Last Fight: 1/25/2014- L (UD10) vs. #18 Jermell CharloNext Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #10 SMW Bryan Vera (at MW)Rosado will be fighting Bryan Vera in a new event called Big Knockout Boxing. The knockdown rules are different, and the ring is replaced with a circular “pit.” I probably won’t know if it will count in the rankings until I’ve had a chance to see it in action.18) Zaurbek Baysangurov (10-15)Last Fight: 4/12/2014- TKO12 #20 Guido PittoNext Fight: UnknownBaysangurov looked the best I’ve seen him, by far, against Pitto.19) Willie Nelson (10-73)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) (at MW)Next Fight: 8/8/2014- vs. Luis Grajeda (UNR)Nelson was just days away from removal for inactivity at 154 when Lou DiBella announced he’d be fighting on August 8. His opponent is journeyman Luis Grajeda. That’s not exactly a title fight, and so there’s still the possibility he’ll be removed if it becomes clear that he’s fighting at 160 again. Stay tuned.20) Kell Brook (6-6)Last Fight: 3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR)Next Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #6 WW Shawn Porter (at WW)Brook is really a welterweight (and a top 10 contender at that weight), but has thrown in enough significant wins near the 154 limit to make himself independently a fringe contender at this weight. He’ll get a shot at a welterweight belt on August 16 against Shawn Porter in New York.

The Week Ahead: SaturdayLiam Smith vs. Jason Welborn; Manchester, England; BoxNation (UK)Smith is an undefeated brother of Callum Smith and Paul Smith. The Liverpool native already owns a win over a borderline top-50 fighter in Erick Ochieng, though at this point he’s probably slightly less proven than his younger and larger brother Callum. Welborn, a fellow Englishman from the West Midlands, is a mid-range journeyman with two losses who has only lost to undefeated opposition.

Wednesday in Vegas, welterweight fringe contender Alfonso Gomez returned for the first time in nearly 2 years, rising from two knockdowns (only one of which even arguably was one) to narrowly defeat welterweight gatekeeper Ed Paredes at a 151 pound catchweight. Paredes had a great opportunity to win the fight, as Gomez had serious problems with his balance which directly led to both the arguably real and the Kenny Bayless-created knockdown. Unfortunately for him, he threw away that opportunity by fighting in a stiff and robotic manner, and by failing to keep his activity level at an acceptable level. Gomez was able to carry the day largely due to his excellent timing and late-round accuracy, plus impressive elusiveness down the stretch. Even so, I had him losing the fight 95-94, but that’s only after deferring to the clearly botched knockdown call. The range of scores that should have been acceptable with quality referee work would have been between 95-94 and 98-91 Gomez. Dave Moretti’s 99-92 card impermissibly ignored Kenny Bayless’s call, and was also blatantly biased in favor of Gomez besides that. Adelaide Byrd’s card was decent at 96-93, while Dick Houck had round 4 10-9, which isn’t really defensible, but otherwise had a halfway decent card at 98-92.

In the week’s biggest fight by a wide margin, #1 Canelo Alvarez beat #3 Erislandy Lara clearly beat Erislandy Lara, who fought downright shamefully by running for his life from the opening bell onward. He didn’t wait until he thought he was far enough ahead, and he didn’t set traps and counterpunch off his movement. He ran. He ran, and he only punched in desperate self-defense when Canelo managed to cut him off and get into his grill. Canelo was the effective aggressor by about 10 miles, made Lara uncomfortable throughout (making him the ring general), and landed more and the extremely more effective punches. He went to the body especially well. Perhaps predictably, commentators like Paulie Malignaggi who think their own warped view of what constitutes proper and admirable strategy trumps common sense and…well…landing significant punches saw it as a Lara win. I had it 118-110, and thought a reasonable judge could score it anything between 119-109 Canelo and 116-112 Canelo. Bottom line: Canelo won, and it wasn’t even especially close. Levi Martinez had the only decent card among the three official judges, scoring it 117-111 for Canelo. Dave Moretti (yes, the same guy who pretty much botched his scoring in Gomez-Paredes above) had it for the right guy, but too close at 115-113. Jerry Roth proved that he’s a good candidate for retirement by scoring it 115-113 Lara. Don’t overthink it, guys. If a guy runs a lot and doesn’t punch off that movement often, he probably didn’t beat the guy that’s punching off the front foot and taking the fight to him.

There are no changes this week. Alvarez-Lara just kinda reinforces the status quo. You might say it makes Alvarez the uncrowned champion, but uncrowned he remains, since there’s no reason to skip Carlos Molina to create a championship fight. Gomez installs himself as a fringe contender at this weight, but he is unable to break through to the top 20.

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)Champ: None1) Saul Alvarez (19-176-191)Last Fight: 7/12/2014- W (SD12) vs. #3 Erislandy Lara (at 155)Next Fight: UnknownCanelo deserves none of the detraction he’s getting for his very legitimate win over Lara. He is getting some buzz as a potential challenger for Cotto’s Middleweight Championship.2) Carlos Molina (19-158-173)Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD12) vs. #5 Ishe SmithNext Fight: 10/11/2014- vs. #10 Cornelius BundrageMolina’s fight with Bundrage has been moved back to October 11.3) Erislandy Lara (19-158-180)Last Fight: 7/12/2014- L (SD12) vs. #1 Saul Alvarez (at 155)Next Fight: UnknownLara clearly lost, despite what Malignaggi and company want you to believe. 4) Miguel Cotto (6-215-215)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- RTD10 MW Champ Sergio Martinez (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownCotto is now the Middleweight Champion, so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to fight at 154 at all. He’s reportedly interested in fighting Canelo, in a likely catchweight fight, if Canelo can get by Lara.5) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (6-44-44)Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Next Fight: 9/13/2014- vs. #1 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Floyd recently said he’s rematching Maidana on September 13. I’m glad. Maidana deserves that, at the very least.6) Austin Trout (6-111-180)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. #5 Erislandy LaraNext Fight: 8/22/2014- vs. Daniel Dawson (UNR)Trout will look to get back on track with a fairly easy Friday Night Fights main event against upper mid-level Australian journeyman Daniel Dawson, who was once a fringe contender, but not since 2007.7) Ishe Smith (6-73-73)Last Fight: 5/2/2014- KO2 Ryan Davis (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownI know he was a relatively short-notice replacement, but Ryan Davis was a little too hapless even by that standard.8) Joshua Clottey (6-14-14)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- UD12 #7 Anthony MundineNext Fight: UnknownFor those looking for a good way to revitalize a practically evaporated career, you couldn’t do much better than the example Clottey just provided. He wants to fight Mayweather, but I’d say he’s at least one top 5 win away from having a chance at that.9) Anthony Mundine (14-33-33)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- L (UD12) vs. Joshua Clottey (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownMundine is reportedly in talks to bring the now much larger and also more retired Danny Green into a rematch. He’s also getting an offer from up-and-coming prospect Jeff Horn.10) Cornelius Bundrage (14-206-206)Last Fight: 1/24/2014- UD12 Joey Hernandez (UNR)Next Fight: 10/10/2014- vs. #2 Carlos MolinaSee Molina’s notes, above.11) Demetrius Andrade (5-36)Last Fight: 6/14/2014- TKO7 #20 Brian RoseNext Fight: UnknownAfter manhandling an overrated Brian Rose, Andrade says he’s ready for the big names.12) Alfredo Angulo (5-251)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Saul AlvarezNext Fight: UnknownAngulo could probably use a fight with a gatekeeper or low level fringe contender just to get his career momentum going. He’s drawing interest from Julian Williams.13) Sergey Rabchenko (5-109)Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 Bradley Pryce (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownRabchenko’s fight in Rome was cancelled on 3 days’ notice due to Visa issues, and his would-be opponent, journeyman Emanuele Della Rosa, will be fighting undefeated prospect Isaac Real for what had been Rabchenko’s European title.14) Jermell Charlo (5-58)Last Fight: 5/24/2014- UD12 Charlie Ota (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown15) Vanes Martirosyan (6-163)Last Fight: 3/21/2014- UD10 Mario Lozano (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownVanes was supposed to fight on the Stiverne-Arreola card from what I understood, but that fight quietly disappeared from the schedule at some unknown point in time. He’s been dropped by Top Rank and signed with Dan Goossen, as well.16) Brian Castaño (6-6)Last Fight: 6/6/2014- TKO4 #15 Cesar Sastre SilvaNext Fight: 8/?/2014- vs. Sebastian Lujan (UNR)Castano was tentatively scheduled to fight Sebastian Lujan on July 19, but the fight has been postponed to sometime in August due to a Castano illness.17) Gabriel Rosado (9-25)Last Fight: 1/25/2014- L (UD10) vs. #18 Jermell CharloNext Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #10 SMW Bryan Vera (at MW)Rosado will be fighting Bryan Vera in a new event called Big Knockout Boxing. The knockdown rules are different, and the ring is replaced with a circular “pit.” I probably won’t know if it will count in the rankings until I’ve had a chance to see it in action.18) Zaurbek Baysangurov (9-14)Last Fight: 4/12/2014- TKO12 #20 Guido PittoNext Fight: UnknownBaysangurov looked the best I’ve seen him, by far, against Pitto.19) Willie Nelson (9-72)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) (at MW)Next Fight: 8/8/2014- vs. Unknown OpponentNelson was just days away from removal for inactivity at 154 when Lou DiBella announced he’d be fighting on August 8. There’s no opponent yet, and so there’s still the possibility he’ll be removed if it becomes clear that he’s fighting at 160 again. Stay tuned.20) Kell Brook (5-5)Last Fight: 3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR)Next Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #6 WW Shawn Porter (at WW)Brook is really a welterweight (and a top 10 contender at that weight), but has thrown in enough significant wins near the 154 limit to make himself independently a fringe contender at this weight. He’ll get a shot at a welterweight belt on August 16 against Shawn Porter in New York.

No junior middleweight fights of substance last week, and no changes this week.

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)Champ: None1) Saul Alvarez (18-175-190)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- TKO10 #10 Alfredo Angulo (at 155)Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #3 Erislandy Lara (at 155)Canelo came knocking, and Lara answered the door.2) Carlos Molina (18-157-172)Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD12) vs. #5 Ishe SmithNext Fight: 9/6/2014- vs. #10 Cornelius BundrageMolina defends his alphabet belt on September 6 in Cancun against Bundrage.3) Erislandy Lara (18-157-179)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #4 Austin TroutNext Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #1 Saul AlvarezLara traded an intended fight with Ishe Smith for a more lucrative and important showdown with Canelo. The fight might not determine a legitimate champion, but it should at least crown a preeminent top contender.4) Miguel Cotto (5-214-214)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- RTD10 MW Champ Sergio Martinez (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownCotto is now the Middleweight Champion, so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to fight at 154 at all. He’s reportedly interested in fighting Canelo, in a likely catchweight fight, if Canelo can get by Lara.5) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (5-43-43)Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Next Fight: 9/13/2014- vs. #1 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Floyd recently said he’s rematching Maidana on September 13. I’m glad. Maidana deserves that, at the very least.6) Austin Trout (5-110-179)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. #5 Erislandy LaraNext Fight: 7/19/2014- vs. Daniel Dawson (UNR)Trout will look to get back on track with a fairly easy Friday Night Fights main event against upper mid-level Australian journeyman Daniel Dawson, who was once a fringe contender, but not since 2007.7) Ishe Smith (5-72-72)Last Fight: 5/2/2014- KO2 Ryan Davis (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownI know he was a relatively short-notice replacement, but Ryan Davis was a little too hapless even by that standard.8) Joshua Clottey (5-13-13)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- UD12 #7 Anthony MundineNext Fight: UnknownFor those looking for a good way to revitalize a practically evaporated career, you couldn’t do much better than the example Clottey just provided. He wants to fight Mayweather, but I’d say he’s at least one top 5 win away from having a chance at that.9) Anthony Mundine (13-32-32)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- L (UD12) vs. Joshua Clottey (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownMundine is reportedly in talks to bring the now much larger and also more retired Danny Green into a rematch. He’s also getting an offer from up-and-coming prospect Jeff Horn.10) Cornelius Bundrage (13-205-205)Last Fight: 1/24/2014- UD12 Joey Hernandez (UNR)Next Fight: 9/6/2014- vs. #2 Carlos MolinaSee Molina’s notes, above.11) Demetrius Andrade (4-35)Last Fight: 6/14/2014- TKO7 #20 Brian RoseNext Fight: UnknownAfter manhandling an overrated Brian Rose, Andrade says he’s ready for the big names.12) Alfredo Angulo (4-250)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Saul AlvarezNext Fight: UnknownAngulo could probably use a fight with a gatekeeper or low level fringe contender just to get his career momentum going. He’s drawing interest from Julian Williams.13) Sergey Rabchenko (4-108)Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 Bradley Pryce (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownRabchenko’s fight in Rome was cancelled on 3 days’ notice due to Visa issues, and his would-be opponent, journeyman Emanuele Della Rosa, will be fighting undefeated prospect Isaac Real for what had been Rabchenko’s European title.14) Jermell Charlo (4-57)Last Fight: 5/24/2014- UD12 Charlie Ota (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown15) Vanes Martirosyan (5-162)Last Fight: 3/21/2014- UD10 Mario Lozano (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownVanes was supposed to fight on the Stiverne-Arreola card from what I understood, but that fight quietly disappeared from the schedule at some unknown point in time. He’s been dropped by Top Rank and signed with Dan Goossen, as well.16) Brian Castaño (5-5)Last Fight: 6/6/2014- TKO4 #15 Cesar Sastre SilvaNext Fight: UnknownCastano looked like kind of a beast against Sastre Silva. Only time will tell if he really is a beast, was beating up on an overrated fringe contender, or some combination of those possibilities.17) Gabriel Rosado (8-24)Last Fight: 1/25/2014- L (UD10) vs. #18 Jermell CharloNext Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #10 SMW Bryan Vera (at MW)Rosado will be fighting Bryan Vera in a new event called Big Knockout Boxing. The knockdown rules are different, and the ring is replaced with a circular “pit.” I probably won’t know if it will count in the rankings until I’ve had a chance to see it in action.18) Zaurbek Baysangurov (8-13)Last Fight: 4/12/2014- TKO12 #20 Guido PittoNext Fight: UnknownBaysangurov looked the best I’ve seen him, by far, against Pitto.19) Willie Nelson (8-71)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) (at MW)Next Fight: 8/8/2014- vs. Unknown OpponentNelson was just days away from removal for inactivity at 154 when Lou DiBella announced he’d be fighting on August 8. There’s no opponent yet, and so there’s still the possibility he’ll be removed if it becomes clear that he’s fighting at 160 again. Stay tuned.20) Kell Brook (4-4)Last Fight: 3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR)Next Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #6 WW Shawn Porter (at WW)Brook is really a welterweight (and a top 10 contender at that weight), but has thrown in enough significant wins near the 154 limit to make himself independently a fringe contender at this weight. He’ll get a shot at a welterweight belt on August 16 against Shawn Porter in New York.

The Week Ahead: WednesdayAlfonso Gomez vs. Ed Paredes; Las Vegas, Nevada; FS1 (US)Gomez and Paredes are both traditionally welterweights. Gomez is best described as a fringe contender, and Paredes maybe more of a gatekeeper. Gomez hasn’t fought since July 2012- just shy of two years ago. That being the case, Paredes might be a bit of a big ask. Even so, Paredes himself hasn’t fought anyone remotely worth fighting in almost exactly the same amount of time. Interesting scrap.

#1 Saul Alvarez vs. #3 Erislandy Lara; Las Vegas, Nevada; Showtime PPV (US)One of the best matchups of the year, marred slightly be the unfortunate decision to contract it at 155 and thus cloud the divisional picture slightly. Lara is the sharper and quicker puncher of the two, and has quicker feet by a wide margin. Canelo is the heavier-handed. Any way you slice this, it’s an interesting fight. Unfortunately, it won’t crown a champion, since there’s no compelling reason to bypass Carlos Molina.

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)Champ: None1) Saul Alvarez (17-174-189)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- TKO10 #10 Alfredo Angulo (at 155)Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #3 Erislandy LaraCanelo came knocking, and Lara answered the door.2) Carlos Molina (17-156-171)Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD12) vs. #5 Ishe SmithNext Fight: 9/6/2014- vs. #10 Cornelius BundrageThe September 6 date for the Bundrage fight is still a bit tentative, but it looks pretty solid. It will take place in Cancun due to Molina’s legal and immigration issues.3) Erislandy Lara (17-156-178)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #4 Austin TroutNext Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #1 Saul AlvarezLara traded an intended fight with Ishe Smith for a more lucrative and important showdown with Canelo. The fight might not determine a legitimate champion, but it should at least crown a preeminent top contender.4) Miguel Cotto (4-213-213)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- RTD10 MW Champ Sergio Martinez (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownCotto is now the Middleweight Champion, so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to fight at 154 at all. He’s reportedly interested in fighting Canelo, in a likely catchweight fight, if Canelo can get by Lara.5) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (4-42-42)Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Next Fight: 9/13/2014- vs. Unknown OpponentFloyd will be fighting on September 13. A Maidana rematch remains a possibility.6) Austin Trout (4-109-178)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. #5 Erislandy LaraNext Fight: 7/19/2014- vs. Daniel Dawson (UNR)Trout will look to get back on track with a fairly easy Friday Night Fights main event against upper mid-level Australian journeyman Daniel Dawson, who was once a fringe contender, but not since 2007.7) Ishe Smith (4-71-71)Last Fight: 5/2/2014- KO2 Ryan Davis (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownI know he was a relatively short-notice replacement, but Ryan Davis was a little too hapless even by that standard.8) Joshua Clottey (4-12-12)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- UD12 #7 Anthony MundineNext Fight: UnknownFor those looking for a good way to revitalize a practically evaporated career, you couldn’t do much better than the example Clottey just provided. He wants to fight Mayweather, but I’d say he’s at least one top 5 win away from having a chance at that.9) Anthony Mundine (12-31-31)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- L (UD12) vs. Joshua Clottey (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownMundine is reportedly in talks to bring the now much larger and also more retired Danny Green into a rematch.10) Cornelius Bundrage (12-204-204)Last Fight: 1/24/2014- UD12 Joey Hernandez (UNR)Next Fight: 9/6/2014- vs. #2 Carlos MolinaSee Molina’s notes, above.11) Demetrius Andrade (3-34)Last Fight: 6/14/2014- TKO7 #20 Brian RoseNext Fight: UnknownAfter manhandling an overrated Brian Rose, Andrade says he’s ready for the big names.12) Alfredo Angulo (3-249)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Saul AlvarezNext Fight: UnknownAngulo could probably use a fight with a gatekeeper or low level fringe contender just to get his career momentum going.13) Sergey Rabchenko (3-107)Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 Bradley Pryce (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownRabchenko’s fight in Rome was cancelled on 3 days’ notice due to Visa issues, and his would-be opponent, journeyman Emanuele Della Rosa, will be fighting undefeated prospect Isaac Real for what had been Rabchenko’s European title.14) Jermell Charlo (3-56)Last Fight: 5/24/2014- UD12 Charlie Ota (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown15) Vanes Martirosyan (4-161)Last Fight: 3/21/2014- UD10 Mario Lozano (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownVanes was supposed to fight on the Stiverne-Arreola card from what I understood, but that fight quietly disappeared from the schedule at some unknown point in time. He’s been dropped by Top Rank and signed with Dan Goossen, as well.16) Brian Castaño (4-4)Last Fight: 6/6/2014- TKO4 #15 Cesar Sastre SilvaNext Fight: UnknownCastano looked like kind of a beast against Sastre Silva. Only time will tell if he really is a beast, was beating up on an overrated fringe contender, or some combination of those possibilities.17) Gabriel Rosado (7-23)Last Fight: 1/25/2014- L (UD10) vs. #18 Jermell CharloNext Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #10 SMW Bryan Vera (at MW)Rosado will be fighting Bryan Vera in a new event called Big Knockout Boxing. The knockdown rules are different, and the ring is replaced with a circular “pit.” I probably won’t know if it will count in the rankings until I’ve had a chance to see it in action.18) Zaurbek Baysangurov (7-12)Last Fight: 4/12/2014- TKO12 #20 Guido PittoNext Fight: UnknownBaysangurov looked the best I’ve seen him, by far, against Pitto.19) Willie Nelson (7-70)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) (at MW)Next Fight: 8/8/2014- vs. Unknown OpponentNelson was just days away from removal for inactivity at 154 when Lou DiBella announced he’d be fighting on August 8. There’s no opponent yet, and so there’s still the possibility he’ll be removed if it becomes clear that he’s fighting at 160 again. Stay tuned.20) Kell Brook (3-3)Last Fight: 3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR)Next Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #6 WW Shawn Porter (at WW)Brook is really a welterweight (and a top 10 contender at that weight), but has thrown in enough significant wins near the 154 limit to make himself independently a fringe contender at this weight. He’ll get a shot at a welterweight belt on August 16 against Shawn Porter in New York.

Weltereweight contender Devon Alexander got a very debatable decision over Jesus Soto Karass on Saturday at a catchweight of 149. Theoretically, they could both be ranked here based on the nebulous outcome (I’ll discuss that more in my welterweight update), but I just don’t think that makes a darned lick of sense. Both guys, especially Alexander, are still Welterweights, and Alexander’s performance is not worthy of his present ranking at welterweight, much less a new one at 154. This isn’t any kind of precedent going forward. It’s just common sense as I see it. No changes.

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)Champ: None1) Saul Alvarez (16-173-188)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- TKO10 #10 Alfredo Angulo (at 155)Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #3 Erislandy LaraCanelo came knocking, and Lara answered the door.2) Carlos Molina (16-155-170)Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD12) vs. #5 Ishe SmithNext Fight: UnknownMolina and Bundrage haven’t reached a deal for their IBF-mandated fight is scheduled for purse bids on June 24.3) Erislandy Lara (16-155-177)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #4 Austin TroutNext Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #1 Saul AlvarezLara traded an intended fight with Ishe Smith for a more lucrative and important showdown with Canelo. The fight might not determine a legitimate champion, but it should at least crown a preeminent top contender.4) Miguel Cotto (3-212-212)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- RTD10 MW Champ Sergio Martinez (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownCotto is now the Middleweight Champion, so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to fight at 154 at all. He’s reportedly interested in fighting Canelo, in a likely catchweight fight, if Canelo can get by Lara.5) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (3-41-41)Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Next Fight: 9/13/2014- vs. Unknown OpponentFloyd will be fighting on September 13. A Maidana rematch remains a possibility.6) Austin Trout (3-108-177)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. #5 Erislandy LaraNext Fight: 7/19/2014- vs. Daniel Dawson (UNR)Trout will look to get back on track with a fairly easy Friday Night Fights main event against upper mid-level Australian journeyman Daniel Dawson, who was once a fringe contender, but not since 2007.7) Ishe Smith (3-70-70)Last Fight: 5/2/2014- KO2 Ryan Davis (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownI know he was a relatively short-notice replacement, but Ryan Davis was a little too hapless even by that standard.8) Joshua Clottey (3-11-11)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- UD12 #7 Anthony MundineNext Fight: UnknownFor those looking for a good way to revitalize a practically evaporated career, you couldn’t do much better than the example Clottey just provided. He wants to fight Mayweather, but I’d say he’s at least one top 5 win away from having a chance at that.9) Anthony Mundine (11-30-30)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- L (UD12) vs. Joshua Clottey (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownMundine is reportedly in talks to bring the now much larger and also more retired Danny Green into a rematch.10) Cornelius Bundrage (11-203-203)Last Fight: 1/24/2014- UD12 Joey Hernandez (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownSee Molina’s notes, above.11) Demetrius Andrade (2-33)Last Fight: 6/14/2014- TKO7 #20 Brian RoseNext Fight: UnknownAfter manhandling an overrated Brian Rose, Andrade says he’s ready for the big names.12) Alfredo Angulo (2-248)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Saul AlvarezNext Fight: UnknownAngulo could probably use a fight with a gatekeeper or low level fringe contender just to get his career momentum going.13) Sergey Rabchenko (2-106)Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 Bradley Pryce (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownRabchenko’s fight in Rome was cancelled on 3 days’ notice due to Visa issues, and his would-be opponent, journeyman Emanuele Della Rosa, will be fighting undefeated prospect Isaac Real for what had been Rabchenko’s European title.14) Jermell Charlo (2-55)Last Fight: 5/24/2014- UD12 Charlie Ota (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown15) Vanes Martirosyan (3-160)Last Fight: 3/21/2014- UD10 Mario Lozano (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownVanes was supposed to fight on the Stiverne-Arreola card from what I understood, but that fight quietly disappeared from the schedule at some unknown point in time. He’s been dropped by Top Rank and signed with Dan Goossen, as well.16) Brian Castaño (3-3)Last Fight: 6/6/2014- TKO4 #15 Cesar Sastre SilvaNext Fight: UnknownCastano looked like kind of a beast against Sastre Silva. Only time will tell if he really is a beast, was beating up on an overrated fringe contender, or some combination of those possibilities.17) Gabriel Rosado (6-22)Last Fight: 1/25/2014- L (UD10) vs. #18 Jermell CharloNext Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #10 SMW Bryan Vera (at MW)Rosado will be fighting Bryan Vera in a new event called Big Knockout Boxing. The knockdown rules are different, and the ring is replaced with a circular “pit.” I probably won’t know if it will count in the rankings until I’ve had a chance to see it in action.18) Zaurbek Baysangurov (6-11)Last Fight: 4/12/2014- TKO12 #20 Guido PittoNext Fight: UnknownBaysangurov looked the best I’ve seen him, by far, against Pitto.19) Willie Nelson (6-69)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownNelson has until Monday to schedule a fight at 154 to avoid removal for inactivity at the weight.20) Kell Brook (2-2)Last Fight: 3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR)Next Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #6 WW Shawn Porter (at WW)Brook is really a welterweight (and a top 10 contender at that weight), but has thrown in enough significant wins near the 154 limit to make himself independently a fringe contender at this weight. He’ll get a shot at a welterweight belt on August 16 against Shawn Porter in New York.

One-loss prospect Glen Tapia scored two knockdowns and ultimately a stoppage in less than half a round in Atlantic City on Saturday, earning an easy tune-up win over inactive lower-mid-level journeyman Keenan Collins of Brooklyn.

In a significantly more important fight, #14 Demetrius Andrade of Providence, Rhode Island brutally dominated overrated #20 Brian Rose of England. Andrade scored knockdowns in the first and third rounds, and earned a 10-8 in my book in the 6th, too, before stopping his man in the 7th. Andrade looked quite dynamic, showing both world-class boxing and plenty of power, as well. He might be one of the most well-rounded fighters in the entire division. As for Rose, I had only grudgingly ranked him as high as #20 at this point, because his poor performances against the likes of Maciel and Kris Carslaw had pretty clearly indicated that all of his serious success (most notably a win over Prince Arron, who hasn’t been heard of since, really) was most likely a mirage. He looked every bit the fraud against Andrade. I leave it to you to decide which guy it says more about. I think it is probably a strong reflection on the level of both guys, personally.

Andrade continues to rise, falling just short of the top 10 at #11. Angulo, Rabchenko, and Jermell Charlo each drop a spot to accommodate his promotion. Rose narrowly loses his spot to Kell Brook, who is also ranked in the top 10 at 147, and returns to the rankings at 154 for the first time since he was forced out on January 27.

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)Champ: None1) Saul Alvarez (15-172-187)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- TKO10 #10 Alfredo Angulo (at 155)Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #3 Erislandy LaraCanelo came knocking, and Lara answered the door.2) Carlos Molina (15-154-169)Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD12) vs. #5 Ishe SmithNext Fight: UnknownMolina and Bundrage haven’t reached a deal for their IBF-mandated fight is scheduled for purse bids on June 24.3) Erislandy Lara (15-154-176)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #4 Austin TroutNext Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #1 Saul AlvarezLara traded an intended fight with Ishe Smith for a more lucrative and important showdown with Canelo. The fight might not determine a legitimate champion, but it should at least crown a preeminent top contender.4) Miguel Cotto (2-211-211)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- RTD10 MW Champ Sergio Martinez (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownCotto is now the Middleweight Champion, so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to fight at 154 at all. He’s reportedly interested in fighting Canelo, in a likely catchweight fight, if Canelo can get by Lara.5) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (2-40-40)Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Next Fight: 9/13/2014- vs. Unknown OpponentFloyd will be fighting on September 13. A Maidana rematch remains a possibility.6) Austin Trout (2-107-176)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. #5 Erislandy LaraNext Fight: 7/19/2014- vs. Daniel Dawson (UNR)Trout will look to get back on track with a fairly easy Friday Night Fights main event against upper mid-level Australian journeyman Daniel Dawson, who was once a fringe contender, but not since 2007.7) Ishe Smith (2-69-69)Last Fight: 5/2/2014- KO2 Ryan Davis (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownI know he was a relatively short-notice replacement, but Ryan Davis was a little too hapless even by that standard.8) Joshua Clottey (2-10-10)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- UD12 #7 Anthony MundineNext Fight: UnknownFor those looking for a good way to revitalize a practically evaporated career, you couldn’t do much better than the example Clottey just provided. He wants to fight Mayweather, but I’d say he’s at least one top 5 win away from having a chance at that.9) Anthony Mundine (10-29-29)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- L (UD12) vs. Joshua Clottey (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownMundine is reportedly in talks to bring the now much larger and also more retired Danny Green into a rematch.10) Cornelius Bundrage (10-202-202)Last Fight: 1/24/2014- UD12 Joey Hernandez (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownSee Molina’s notes, above.11) Demetrius Andrade (1-32)Last Fight: 6/14/2014- TKO7 #20 Brian RoseNext Fight: UnknownAfter manhandling an overrated Brian Rose, Andrade says he’s ready for the big names.12) Alfredo Angulo (1-247)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Saul AlvarezNext Fight: UnknownAngulo could probably use a fight with a gatekeeper or low level fringe contender just to get his career momentum going.13) Sergey Rabchenko (1-105)Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 Bradley Pryce (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownRabchenko’s fight in Rome was cancelled on 3 days’ notice due to Visa issues, and his would-be opponent, journeyman Emanuele Della Rosa, will be fighting undefeated prospect Isaac Real for what had been Rabchenko’s European title.14) Jermell Charlo (1-54)Last Fight: 5/24/2014- UD12 Charlie Ota (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown15) Vanes Martirosyan (2-159)Last Fight: 3/21/2014- UD10 Mario Lozano (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownVanes was supposed to fight on the Stiverne-Arreola card from what I understood, but that fight quietly disappeared from the schedule at some unknown point in time. He’s been dropped by Top Rank and signed with Dan Goossen, as well.16) Brian Castaño (2-2)Last Fight: 6/6/2014- TKO4 #15 Cesar Sastre SilvaNext Fight: UnknownCastano looked like kind of a beast against Sastre Silva. Only time will tell if he really is a beast, was beating up on an overrated fringe contender, or some combination of those possibilities.17) Gabriel Rosado (5-21)Last Fight: 1/25/2014- L (UD10) vs. #18 Jermell CharloNext Fight: UnknownRosado was offered to Ishe Smith as a May 2 replacement, but Smith turned him down. In turn, Rosado is being challenged by Hassan N’Dam.18) Zaurbek Baysangurov (5-10)Last Fight: 4/12/2014- TKO12 #20 Guido PittoNext Fight: UnknownBaysangurov looked the best I’ve seen him, by far, against Pitto.19) Willie Nelson (5-68)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownNelson just signed with manager Cameron Dunkin, but will need to get a potentially light middleweight fight scheduled by the end of June to maintain his ranking.20) Kell Brook (1-1)Last Fight: 3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR)Next Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #6 WW Shawn Porter (at WW)Brook is really a welterweight (and a top 10 contender at that weight), but has thrown in enough significant wins near the 154 limit to make himself independently a fringe contender at this weight. He’ll get a shot at a welterweight belt on August 16 against Shawn Porter in New York.

The Week Ahead: Saturday#9 WW Devon Alexander vs. #12 WW Jesus Soto Karass; Carson, California; Showtime (US)This is technically scheduled to be a light middleweight fight, with Soto Karass having requested a catchweight of 149. I plan to discuss it in much more detail at 147, but it very well might affect the rankings at both weights.

In a shockingly competitive fight in France on Friday, gatekeeper Frank Haroche Horta had a tough time beating back the challenge of Kevin Bertogal, who entered with more losses than wins by a 2-1 margin. He looked significantly better than that, with truly remarkable handspeed, and a rare ability to punch with snap and accuracy while practically on the run. I can’t go too deeply into how I felt about the results specifically, due to the fact that the only video I found had at least 3 rounds in which at least 30 seconds were missing. One judge, Ali Oubaali, had it for Bertogal 78-74. I can say for sure that he was clearly wrong. Of the 5 rounds I felt I could legitimately score, Haroche Horta clearly won 3. I gave him the other two, as well, but those were toss-ups. In any case, it was a fine effort by Bertogal, but ultimately has no bearing on the rankings.

Later that night in Benavidez, Argentina, #15 Cesar Sastre Silva fell by stoppage to 6-0 prospect Brian Castano of Isidro Casanova. Castano looked like a legitimate prospect, and flashed two-handed power typical of high-level Argentine performers, as well as impressive timing and overall balance. The first two rounds seemed to foreshadow a back-and-forth fight, but Sastre Silva had trouble defending himself after that, as his hands seemed to drop round by round. Castano scored cleanly with regularity in round 3, and carried that momentum into the 4th, when he dropped Sastre Silva and never looked back, continuing to tag his man, especially with an uncontested right hand. Having witnessed a large number of unanswered clean shots from Castano, referee Antonio Zaragoza and Sastre Silva’s corner got the same idea around the same time, and appeared to signal the end of the fight independently of one another at about the same moment. Sastre Silva was probably overrated at #15 based on a isolated really good night against Maciel, but this is still bound to be a great springboard for Castano, at least in my book.

In a fight contracted at 149, unbeaten prospect Eddie Gomez got jobbed against more experienced gatekeeper Francisco Santana on ShoBox from Indio, California. Gomez built up what should have been a big lead early, winning the first 5 rounds clearly, as I saw it. The fight turned drastically in the 6th, when Santana hurt Gomez so badly and beat him in such a sustained fashion that it could have been scored 10-8 without a knockdown, though I didn’t go quite that far. The undefeated Gomez righted the ship a little in the 7th, but still lost the round clearly. The 8th round was much closer, but I think Gomez bounced back to win it in pretty clear fashion anyway. Santana probably nicked the 9th, though that was the closest round of the fight in my view, and clearly took the 10th. On my card, Santana narrowly failed to come back enough to win the fight, and I had Gomez the clear winner at 96-94, with reasonable scores ranging between 95-94 and 97-93 Gomez. None of the judges were reasonable, as it turned out. Raul Caiz, Sr. saw it 96-94 Santana. That’s a stretch, but at least if you gave Santana all the rounds identifiable as kinda close, you could kinda see where he was coming from. Tony Crebs, at 97-93, was not so justifiable. I literally can’t even begin to imagine what round it was, in addition to the ones that Caiz must have given him, that Crebs thought was remotely close to being scorable in Santana’s favor. He gave Santana at least one crystal clear Gomez round. But the most distinguished botch-job of the night belonged to Ray Corona, who only gave the clear winner of the fight two solitary rounds. I can’t even begin to explain the last two cards, nor would I want to. Despite fading badly in the 2nd half, there’s no doubt in my mind that Gomez won the fight, and he’ll be treated as such on this site.

Moving forward to Saturday, Andy Lee pulled a rabbit out of his hat in the New York opener of HBO’s card. One-loss prospect John Jackson of the Virgin Islands was dominating the fallen Irish former middleweight contender and beating him up pretty bad, having scored a knockdown in the first. Lee looked to be on his way to a stoppage loss when, in the 5th, he suddenly caught Jackson with a single counter shot that ended it with a shocking and sudden knockout. It hadn’t gone as long, but it otherwise reminded me a lot of Randall Bailey’s sudden demolition of a dominant Mike Jones a couple years back.

One fight later on the same card, the aforementioned Javier Maciel, who had been ranked near the top 10 before needing a blatant robbery to beat the aforementioned Sastre Silva, got a measure of redemption in his HBO debut at Madison Square Garden, taking a hard-earned 10-round majority decision over gatekeeper-level Puerto Rican Jorge Melendez. Maciel had taken the fight on just 3 weeks’ notice, and he did seem to tire towards the end as you might expect, but to me he seemed to still have plenty left anyway. Even when apparently tired, his shots still had more effect than those of Melendez. Even so, the Puerto Rican gave a very respectable effort, and at least managed to keep most of the rounds close. Round by round, I had Maciel in a toss-up in the first, Melendez in similar fashion in the 2nd and 3rd, Maciel big in the 4th, including a knockdown and a point deduction on his opponent for low blows, Maciel in a toss-up in the 5th, Melendez by toss-up in the 6th, Maciel clear in the 7th, toss-up in the 8th, and by a close but clear margin in the 9th and 10th. My final score was 96-92 Maciel, and I thought a range of 95-93 and 99-95 Maciel would encompass reasonable scores. John Stewart was a little generous to Melendez, I thought, and had it a draw at 94-94. Waleska Roldan saw it identical to my card, while Don Trella reasonably scored one extra round for Maciel at 97-91.

#19 Willie Nelson was on the card’s non-televised deep undercard, blasting journeyman Darryl Cunningham for two knockdowns in the first round before the doctor stopped it. This turned out to be a middleweight fight, and since Nelson was a full 3 pounds off the divisional limit of 154, he risks being removed for inactivity/moving up if he doesn’t have another plausibly light middleweight fight signed by essentially the end of the month.

Miguel Cotto won the Middleweight Championship in the card’s main event, but that has been discussed fully in my 160 update. That being said, Cotto only scaled 155 for the fight, and my general policy is that a fighter will get full credit in a given division for a performance in which he came within 2 pounds of the divisional limit, assuming he has rankable performances independently of the fight, and assuming his additional weight didn’t afford him an unfair advantage. In this case, his opponent outweighed him by almost 4 pounds, and he’s already ranked #8 here. Therefore, the fight will do him a lot of favors here at 154, as well.

This division is very soupy at the top, and you could make a case for Cotto to be ranked as high as #1. On the other hand, he clearly lost to Austin Trout, while Erislandy Lara dominated Trout without having any other serious blemishes on his recent record. Combined with the likelihood that Sergio, for health reasons, doesn’t really translate to a top-level 154 pounder at present, leaves Cotto at #4. How is he ahead of Mayweather, you ask? Well, Mayweather just deserved to lose a fight at a lower weight in his last outing, and I thought his fight with Cotto could have gone either way, anyhow. Sastre Silva drops from the top 20, and is now best viewed as a gatekeeper. Martirosyan moves up to claim his former spot, while Castano debuts at #16. Maciel and Lee are both held back from serious consideration by their recent bad performances, and so there are no further changes.

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)Champ: None1) Saul Alvarez (14-171-186)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- TKO10 #10 Alfredo Angulo (at 155)Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #3 Erislandy LaraCanelo came knocking, and Lara answered the door.2) Carlos Molina (14-153-168)Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD12) vs. #5 Ishe SmithNext Fight: UnknownMolina is out of jail and training in Mexico City. He lobbied the IBF to give him an exemption to defend his belt against Jermall Charlo, whom he was supposed to face already before he was jailed, but the alphabet is sticking to its guns and will try to make him fight Bundrage, instead.3) Erislandy Lara (14-153-175)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #4 Austin TroutNext Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #1 Saul AlvarezLara traded an intended fight with Ishe Smith for a more lucrative and important showdown with Canelo. The fight might not determine a legitimate champion, but it should at least crown a preeminent top contender.4) Miguel Cotto (1-210-210)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- RTD10 MW Champ Sergio Martinez (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownCotto is now the Middleweight Champion, so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to fight at 154 at all.5) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (1-39-39)Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW)Next Fight: 9/13/2014- vs. Unknown OpponentFloyd will be fighting on September 13. A Maidana rematch remains a possibility.6) Austin Trout (1-106-175)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. #5 Erislandy LaraNext Fight: 7/19/2014- vs. Daniel Dawson (UNR)Trout will look to get back on track with a fairly easy Friday Night Fights main event against upper mid-level Australian journeyman Daniel Dawson, who was once a fringe contender, but not since 2007.7) Ishe Smith (1-68-68)Last Fight: 5/2/2014- KO2 Ryan Davis (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownI know he was a relatively short-notice replacement, but Ryan Davis was a little too hapless even by that standard.8) Joshua Clottey (1-9-9)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- UD12 #7 Anthony MundineNext Fight: UnknownFor those looking for a good way to revitalize a practically evaporated career, you couldn’t do much better than the example Clottey just provided. He wants to fight Mayweather, but I’d say he’s at least one top 5 win away from having a chance at that.9) Anthony Mundine (9-28-28)Last Fight: 4/9/2014- L (UD12) vs. Joshua Clottey (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownMundine is reportedly in talks to bring the now much larger and also more retired Danny Green into a rematch.10) Cornelius Bundrage (9-201-201)Last Fight: 1/24/2014- UD12 Joey Hernandez (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownIt appears that Bundrage has jumped to the front of the line to challenge for Molina’s belt, and his would-be opponent is now out of jail and training.11) Alfredo Angulo (9-246)Last Fight: 3/8/2014- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Saul AlvarezNext Fight: UnknownAngulo could probably use a fight with a gatekeeper or low level fringe contender just to get his career momentum going.12) Sergey Rabchenko (9-104)Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 Bradley Pryce (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownRabchenko’s fight in Rome was cancelled on 3 days’ notice due to Visa issues, and his would-be opponent, journeyman Emanuele Della Rosa, will be fighting undefeated prospect Isaac Real for what had been Rabchenko’s European title.13) Jermell Charlo (3-53)Last Fight: 5/24/2014- UD12 Charlie Ota (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown14) Demetrius Andrade (3-31)Last Fight: 11/9/2013- W* (SD12) vs. #13 Vanes MartirosyanNext Fight: 6/14/2014- vs. Brian Rose (UNR)Andrade and Rose have agreed to fight in the US, with a date of June 14.15) Vanes Martirosyan (1-158)Last Fight: 3/21/2014- UD10 Mario Lozano (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownVanes was supposed to fight on the Stiverne-Arreola card from what I understood, but that fight quietly disappeared from the schedule at some unknown point in time. He’s been dropped by Top Rank and signed with Dan Goossen, as well.16) Brian Castaño (1-1)Last Fight: 6/6/2014- TKO4 #15 Cesar Sastre SilvaNext Fight: UnknownCastano looked like kind of a beast against Sastre Silva. Only time will tell if he really is a beast, was beating up on an overrated fringe contender, or some combination of those possibilities.17) Gabriel Rosado (4-20)Last Fight: 1/25/2014- L (UD10) vs. #18 Jermell CharloNext Fight: UnknownRosado was offered to Ishe Smith as a May 2 replacement, but Smith turned him down. In turn, Rosado is being challenged by Hassan N’Dam.18) Zaurbek Baysangurov (4-9)Last Fight: 4/12/2014- TKO12 #20 Guido PittoNext Fight: UnknownBaysangurov looked the best I’ve seen him, by far, against Pitto.19) Willie Nelson (4-67)Last Fight: 6/7/2014- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) (at MW)Next Fight: UnknownNelson just signed with manager Cameron Dunkin, but will need to get a potentially light middleweight fight scheduled by the end of June to maintain his ranking.20) Brian Rose (4-4)Last Fight: 10/26/2014- Robbery SD12 W (Draw at best) vs. Javier Maciel (UNR)Next Fight: 6/14/2014- vs. #14 Demetrius AndradeSee Andrade’s notes, above.

The Week Ahead: SaturdayGlen Tapia vs. Keenan Collins; Atlantic City, NJ; Unimas (US)This is nothing but a hometown tune-up for Tapia, who comes off a brutal loss to James Kirkland back in December. Collins is a lower-mid-level journeyman originally from Brooklyn. He comes off a stoppage loss to Daniel Jacobs and over a year of inactivity.

#14 Demetrius Andrade vs. #20 Brian Rose; Brooklyn, New York; HBO (US)As I see it, this is nowhere near as good a matchup as it appears to be on paper. Andrade is clearly a world-class prospect on his way to at least near the top. For his part, Rose has at times needed very generous judging in the UK to scrape by with decision wins over the likes of everyone from domestic-level journeymen like Kris Carslaw and Sam Webb to Javier Maciel, who you’d have to call an inconsistent fringe contender or gatekeeper at the moment. I’m not willing to call a stoppage since Andrade isn’t necessarily that type of fighter, but I don’t see Rose as having much chance to be competitive.